What makes a good venue for planning an effective meeting?

Have you ever considered a meeting room booking at an external venue? You may have an issue with available space internally, or it might just be a good way to freshen up ideas outside of the office, but either way there are many factors to consider before booking a corporate meeting room. Busy schedules and time-poor employees mean that face-to-face meetings are under pressure to be as effective as possible, so we’ve put together a list of things that we think make a great corporate meeting space:

How many people are attending your meeting?

A good meeting venue will be able to cater for groups big and small. A more intimate monthly team meeting may require a standard size boardroom whereas a company-wide sales kick-off could need a hall or theatre. If your numbers are high then conference venues are a good place to start your search, as they usually have lots of meeting rooms available for breakout sessions as well as bigger spaces for plenary presentations or training. Some venues may be able to offer flexibility with their meeting space and can partition off walls or they can set up seating in theatre or classroom style to accommodate numbers. The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, and Three Counties Showground are both excellent examples of meeting venues that have several meeting rooms, each at different capacities.

Five things to think about when catering for your meeting

Depending on the length and time of your meeting, you may need to cater for breakfast and lunch, with breaks in between.

The meeting venue may offer in-house catering, or they should be able to provide you with a list of preferred suppliers.

Lunch arrangements can differ from venue to venue, depending on if you opt for a hot or cold menu. If the meeting space has its own restaurant you may be able to dine there, or a working lunch buffet may be more suited.

Remember to check on any set up that may be required before your meeting, for example if the tea and coffee will be ready on arrival or if you will need to order it on the day.

Collect any dietary requirements ahead of time to ensure your meeting place can cater for everybody. We recommend Pensons at the Netherwood Estate for beautifully prepared food from fresh, local ingredients.

Top three tips for choosing a meeting location

When deciding on a venue for your meeting, you should look at a central location for all of your attendees. If the meeting is a more local affair, your location choices can be more flexible if you choose to travel together or you could use a local taxi or mini bus company. Here are just a few situated in the Cotswolds.

If you have colleagues or clients travelling from further afield, or even internationally, you will want your meeting room rental to be accessible for everybody. Take a look at the airport and rail links when conducting your search and factor in travel times to your agenda.

Will your attendees need accommodation options? Some meeting venues will have accommodation as part of a package, or you will need to take a look at what is available nearby. The Cotswolds and Malvern Hills are both great areas for people travelling from all over the country, as well as being Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Four technology needs to consider for your meeting room

Issues with technology can make or break a meeting, especially if the Wi-Fi isn’t reliable or the correct cables haven’t been provided. It is a good idea to find out what facilities a venue has in advance, and if there is anything you might need to provide yourself:

Will you need to bring laptop chargers or connectors?

Is there Wi-Fi and how reliable is it?

You may need a TV screen or a projector and depending on the size of your venue there may be sound requirements too.

Find out if the venue has an in-house AV team that you can call on for support if needed and if this is included in the meeting room hire.

It’s advisable to visit the venue before your meeting for a test-run, even if that means turning up 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. Having this sorted in advance will give you peace of mind on the day that your meeting can run without hitches!

What layout will you require for your meeting venue?

If you are holding a large meeting with lots of people, consider the layout of your meeting venue. Will attendees need to be moving around from meeting room to meeting room, and if so, how far will they need to travel? Try to avoid anywhere which could see people get distracted or lost and make use of signage if it is available. Don’t forget to accommodate for any networking that make take place during your meeting. Does your venue have the space for this? Barn locations such as Oxleaze Barn or The Barn at Upcote are great for socialising as they boast large lawn areas where people can mingle and enjoy some nibbles and a drink during the warmer months.

Make time to visit the venue in advance

Wherever possible, schedule in some time to visit the meeting room in person as part of your planning. Seeing and experiencing the meeting room in person allows you to determine the feel and atmosphere and help inform your decision on the suitability of the space. You will also be able to meet a representative from the venue who can be your point of contact and answer any queries you may have, without the delay of waiting for an email reply. You will also be able to make a note of important factors such as accessibility.

Whatever your meeting room needs are, you can guarantee to find a suitable venue by searching via Secret Spaces. Our website has a range of stunning venues to suit varying capacities, so why not take a look and book a viewing for a meeting room today?

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